What if all the devices in your life could connect to the internet? Not just computers and smartphones, but everything: clocks, speakers, lights, door bells, cameras, windows, window blinds, hot water heaters, appliances, cooking utensils, you name it. And what if those devices could all communicate, send you information, and take your commands? It's not science fiction; it's the Internet of Things (IoT), and it's a key component of home automation and smart homes.

Smart Home Hubs and Controllers

Smart devices are electronic devices equipped with wireless protocols that allow them to be controlled and activated by voice command, or more commonly, through mobile app technology that can be accessed through a smartphone or tablet.

Smart Home Surveillance Cameras

Wouldn't it be great to know what's happening at home, anytime, from anywhere? It's easy to do with a smart video camera. Just take out your phone, open your app, and you have an instant view of activity inside or outside your home.

Smart Locks and Home Security Systems

While lock technology has always evolved, only recently did it become smart enough to ditch those keys altogether. Thanks to smart home security technology, we can now enjoy keyless convenience with better awareness and control of who enters our homes.

Smart Heating and Cooling

Smart temperature-control devices — such as thermostats that learn and adjust to pre-programmed temperatures — are poised to increase comfort and save energy in homes.

Smart Lighting

When we talk about a smart light bulb, we’re referring to an internet-capable LED light bulb that allows lighting to be customized, scheduled and controlled remotely using a smart phone, tablet, or smart home automation system via an app. The app enables you to change the brightness of the bulbs, and if the bulbs have colored LEDs you can change their colors, too.

Smart Home Show

25 May 2019

Host Michael Wolf as he explores the smart home universe. The Smart Home Show features interviews with smart home leaders, analysis of the latest smart home news and even the occasional Q&A and product review.

This gadget is your Google Assistant, smart-home dashboard and digital photo frame in one – and it’s good for cooking, too

The Home Hub is Google’s first own-brand smart display, combining Google Assistant, advanced smart-home control and a digital photo frame into a neat and tidy package.

Google isn’t the first to market with smart displays. Amazon’s Echo Show put the company’s Alexa on a screen a year ago, while Google Assistant smart displays made by Harman, Lenovo and LG were released a few months ago.

The screen can be set to turn off or go very dim in darkness

Swipe from the left edge to go back one screen

Some answers are accompanied by sound effects, such as birds tweeting for sunny weather predictions

Manual tweaking of brightness, low-light mode and display settings are buried in a menu on the Google Home app

There’s a night mode you can schedule to reduce the volume of responses and block notifications apart from alarms and timers

This gadget is your Google Assistant, smart-home dashboard and digital photo frame in one – and it’s good for cooking, too

The Home Hub is Google’s first own-brand smart display, combining Google Assistant, advanced smart-home control and a digital photo frame into a neat and tidy package.

Google isn’t the first to market with smart displays. Amazon’s Echo Show put the company’s Alexa on a screen a year ago, while Google Assistant smart displays made by Harman, Lenovo and LG were released a few months ago.

The screen can be set to turn off or go very dim in darkness

Swipe from the left edge to go back one screen

Some answers are accompanied by sound effects, such as birds tweeting for sunny weather predictions

Manual tweaking of brightness, low-light mode and display settings are buried in a menu on the Google Home app

There’s a night mode you can schedule to reduce the volume of responses and block notifications apart from alarms and timers

You can use it as a Bluetooth speaker

The Home Hub can show you the video from any linked smart cameras

Pros: great touchscreen, minimalist design, Bluetooth, Google Assistant, can hear you well, excellent smart home control, great recipes, cheaper than the competition

Cons: no 3.5mm socket, fabric could get dirty in a kitchen, need to dig into the Google Home app to change almost any setting, only Google services

Google Home review: the smart speaker that answers almost any question

Google Home Mini review: a brilliant little voice assistant speaker

Google Home Max review: bigger and smarter sound

Amazon Echo Show review: smart speaker with a screen has great potential

Home automation

Home automation or domotics is building automation for a home, called a smart home or smart house. ...

A home automation system will control lighting, climate, entertainment systems, and appliances. ...

It may also include home security such as access control and alarm systems. ...

When connected with the Internet, home devices are an important constituent of the Internet of Things. ...

A home automation system typically connects controlled devices to a central hub or gateway. ...

The user interface for control of the system uses either wall-mounted terminals, tablet or desktop computers, a mobile phone application, or a Web interface, that may also be accessible off-site through the Internet. ...